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GIFTS OF NATURE, INC. IS PROUD TO BE THE SECOND COMPANY TO RECEIVE
INDEPENDENT GLUTEN-FREE CERTIFICATION THROUGH THE GLUTEN FREE CERTIFICATION 
ORGANIZATION (GFCO) WHICH, IS A PROGRAM OF THE GLUTEN INTOLERANCE GROUP(r) OF 
NORTH AMERICA (GIG).

Polson, Montana - Gifts of Nature- has been serving the Gluten-Free and 
Celiac Community since 1989 and becoming a GFCO certified company is really the 
high point of our existence. Until now we have only been able to test for gluten 
and felt very sure we were providing a safe product for all but our claims of 
Gluten-Free product were coming from us and now we have an independent, third 
party not only testing our products and ingredients but inspecting our 
facility and practices as well.

We at Gifts of Nature, Inc. feel that having the GFCO seal on our package 
will help the customers rapidly identify safe and dependable products as well as 
understand that our company is dedicated to providing, not only the best 
tasting baking mixes but certified Gluten-Free also. 

As Gifts of Nature products continue to become available on more retail 
shelves across the country the GFCO seal will become more evident. An increasing 
number of companies, manufacturing Gluten-Free products are seeing the value of 
GFCO certification and are becoming a part of this inspection process. Ask 
your Gluten-Free retailer to look for and carry GFCO certified products for their 
benefit as well as yours.  

The GFCO, a program of the Gluten Intolerance Group(r) (GIG), is the first 
program of its kind in the world to supervise the manufacturing and testing 
protocol of companies that market gluten-free (GF) foods, for the purpose of 
offering consumers a third-party assurance of safety. This new independent food 
processing inspection program will verify that food products meet the highest 
standards for GF ingredients and are produced in a safe environment.

Food manufacturers have been quick to recognize the growing demand for GF 
foods. According to SPINS data, sales of GF products in mainstream grocery stores 
grew 18% from June 2004 to June 2005.  Additionally, the 2,000-plus GF 
products available in stores today produce annual sales topping $600 million. 
Although many more GF products have become available in the past few years, adhering 
to a GF diet remains difficult and frustrating, since wheat is so prevalent 
in processed foods. A great deal of time is required to read food labels, 
contact food manufacturers and search GF product lists. The risk of consuming 
gluten persists, as much of the information available is second- or third-hand, 
unclear or contradictory.

About Food Allergies and Celiac Disease
According to a 2004 study by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and 
Immunology, at least 11 million Americans are affected by one or more food 
allergies. This means that one in 25 people in the U.S. is unable to consume a range 
of basic, familiar ingredients without triggering serious, and sometimes 
lethal, immune system responses. In addition, nearly 3 million Americans - or about 
one percent of the population - suffer from celiac disease (CD), a lower 
intestinal condition for which there is no cure and no treatment except adherence 
to a gluten-free diet.  CD is also referred to as gluten sensitive enteropathy 
(GSE), gluten intolerance or celiac sprue.  It is considered to be the most 
under-diagnosed common disease today. It is a chronic, inherited disease, and 
if untreated can ultimately lead to malnutrition. Gluten intolerance is the 
result of an immune-mediated response to the ingestion of gluten (from wheat, 
rye, and barley) that damages the small intestine. The disease is permanent, and 
damage to the small intestine will occur every time any amount of gluten is 
consumed, regardless if symptoms are present.

About GFCO
The Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO) is a program of the Gluten 
Intolerance Group(r), and is governed by an independent volunteer board that 
includes physicians, food scientists and consumers.

Key elements of the GFCO process include:
* Ingredients review, down to the original supplier
* Onsite inspections by experienced, trained Field Inspection Agents
* Product and ingredient testing using scientifically proven tests
* GFCO certification mark located on product packages for easy 
identification. To see the Certification Mark go to http://www.gfco.org

For more information visit: http://www.gfco.org.

810 7th. Street, Polson, Montana 59860
Phone - 888-275-0003
E-mail [log in to unmask]

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Archives are at: Http://Listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?LIST=CELIAC